Sırrı Yüzbaşıoğlu Morphological variations of Galanthus elwesii in Turkey and difficulties on identification Abstract Yüzbaşıoğlu, S.: Morphological variations of Galanthus elwesii in Turkey and difficulties on identification. — Bocconea 24: 335-339. 2012. — ISSN 1120-4060. Galanthus L. belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family, consists of 19 species (22 taxa) and it is represented by 12 species (14 taxa) and one hybrid in Turkey. G. elwesii has a wide natural dis- trubution and can be found in Bulgaria, northeastern Greece, the eastern Aegean Islands, south- ern Ukraine and Turkey. Within Turkey, this species has the widest distrubution among others and naturally grow in northwestern, western and southern Anatolia: Edirne, Adapazarı, Bolu, Yozgat, Ankara, Eskişehir, Afyon, İzmir, Isparta, Konya, Karaman, Niğde and Antalya provinces. In this study, morphological features of G. elwesii has been investigated. Leaf and flower morphology were studied on live material, both in the field and in cultivation, and herbarium specimens. Introduction Snowdrops, the genus Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae), are one of the most instantly recog- nizable groups of plants. Emerging and blooming at a season when few other flowers are vis- ible. Linnaeus (1735) gave snowdrops their scientific name, calling them Galanthus, from the Greek “gala” meaning milk, and “anthos”, flower. In Species Plantarum (1753) Linnaeus described the first species, G. nivalis, the most familiar and widespread snowdrop in Europe. Galanthus L. is a genus of bulbous, petaloid monocotyledons, confined to habitats of Europe, Asia Minor, and Near East (Davis 1999) and is most closely related to Leucojum (snowflakes). The genus includes 19 species along with a number of subspecies, varieties, and hybrids (Bishop & al. 2001). The taxonomy of Galanthus has undergone many revisions and changes over the last 50 years (Stern 1956; Artjushenko 1969; Davis 1999). The taxonomy of Galanthus in Turkey is also a subject to frequent revisions, changes, and disagreements (Erik & Demirkuş 1986; Brickell 1984; Zeybek 1988; Zeybek & Sauer 1995; Davis & al. 2001). In 1988, 24 taxonomic units of Galanthus were suggested to be present in Turkey (Zeybek 1998). In 1995, the number dropped to 20 (Zeybek & Sauer 1995), and the latest work of Bishop & al. (2001) recognizes only 15 taxa (7 of them endemic). G. elwesii represented by two varieties in Turkey. G. elwesii Hook.f. var elwesii and G. elwesii var. monostictus P.D. Sell. G. elwesii var. monostictus are seen as a rare in the field and is characterized by the solitary apical mark present on each inner perianth segment. 336 Yüzbaşıoğlu: Morphological variations of Galanthus elwesii ... The largest populations of G. elwesii var. elwesii are found in the Taurus Mountains limestone area, of southern Turkey. In Taurus Mountains range G. elwesii var. elwesii most- ly on mountains between 800-1000 m and up to 1600 m, subalpine pastures. These places are covered by snow during the winter and remain cool in the summer. Northwestern and western populations are associated with broad-leaved, coniferous woodland and scrub. G. elwesii var. elwesii is a very variable, both in the wild and in cultivation. In naturel populations variations can be seen; general dimension, width of leaves, length of the flow- ers, shape and size of the inner periant markings (Fig. 1). Materials & Methods For my investigations I visited a number of localities in Turkey to observe variations in situ. Field studies were carried out during 2003-2009 between March and May based on the average flowering time throughout Turkey. Herbarium specimens are kept and living material was grown at Istanbul University Botanic Garden and Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanic Garden for taxonomic studies. Characteristics which might be lost in herbarium specimens such as leaves colour, vernation, inner perianth segment markings were recorded using a digital camera. The arrangement of photos were prepared using the Adobe Photoshop CS2. The taxonomic identification of Galanthus species were carried out according to Brickell (1984), Zeybek and Sauer (1995), Davis (1999), Bishop & al. (2001). Results In studying Galanthus many authors adopted the following characters: vernation (the arrangement of leaves in bud), leaf colour (glaucous or green) and presence or absence of basal markings on the outer surface of inner perianth segments. In the genus vernation is of primary taxonomic importance but is not easy to determine satisfactorily on herbarium specimens. At maturity the type of vernation can usually be determined by examining the base of the leaves. It should be assessed only on young living plants at or just before flover- ing at the place where the leaves emerge from the ground. To judge the presence or absence of wax on dry leaves is just impossible. Only the investigation of living plants (on flower- ing time) can help us to decide the leaf colour. In many works (on the herbarium sheets), G. elwesii has been associated with a number of other species that have two marks on each inner periant segment, namely G. gracilis, G. plicatus subsp. byzantinus (Baker) D.A.Webb and G. fosteri Baker. Discussion & Conclusion In the field G. gracilis (Fig. 2) is the only species likely to be confused with G. elwesii var. elwesii. Because they have the same type of marks on the inner perianth segments and the leaves have same range of glaucous coloration. However, these two species can be eas- ily distinguished because the leaves of G. gracilis are applanate in vernation whereas G. elwesii are supervolute. Furthermore the bulbs of G. gracilis are usually globose whereas Bocconea 24 — 2012 337 Fig. 1. Galanthus elwesii Hook. f. var. elwesii: a, habit; b, flowers; c, inner perianth segments: outer surfaces to the left, inner surfaces to the right, scale bar 1 cm. 338 Yüzbaşıoğlu: Morphological variations of Galanthus elwesii ... Fig. 2. Galanthus gracilis Čelak.: a, habit; b, inner perianth segments: outer surfaces to the left, inner surfaces to the right; c, flower, flared inner perianth segments are shown. Bocconea 24 — 2012 339 G. elwesii are ovoid. In G. gracilis the apex of inner perianth segment (Fig. 2c) is usually curled back (flared), whereas in G. elwesii it is more or less straight (Fig. 1b). Typification of G. elwesii has been problematic. In his study (1997) Davis proposed con- serving the name of Galanthus elwesii and choosing a new type. The new type suggested in this study was the sample collected at Giaour mountaion (North part of Amanos moun- tain). Studies on the type specimen at Kew clearly shows the important, distinguishing fea- tures of both with G. elwesii and G. fosteri: supervolute vernation, apikal and basal green mark on the inner perianth segment. However, it is impossible to make a definitive con- clusion on leaf color of the species. Collection of Galanthus species from Osmaniye, Hatay, Gaziantep (Amanos mountain) only one single species, G. fosteri Baker, has been identified. Therefore, selected example of this type by Davis is thought to be G. fosteri. Taking everything into account the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that G. elwesii requires a new type specimen. References Bishop, M., Davis, A. P., Grimshaw, J. 2001: Snowdrops, A Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus. – Maidenhead. Brickell, C. D. 1984: Galanthus L. –Pp. 365-372 in: Davis P. H.(ed.), Flora of Turkey and The East Aegean Islands, 8. – Edinburgh. Davis, A.P. 1997: Proposal to Conserve the Name Galanthus elwesii (Amaryllidaceae) with a Conserved Type (1307). – Taxon 46: 553-554. ― 1999: The Genus Galanthus. – Kew. ― 2000: Galanthus L. – Pp. 265-270 in: Güner, A., Özhatay, N., Ekim, T., Başer, K.H.C. (eds.), Flora of Turkey and East Aegean Islands, 11. – Edinburgh. Davis, P. H., Mill, R.R. & Tan, K. 1988: Galanthus L. – Pp. 226-227 in: Flora of Turkey and The East Aegean Islands, 10. – Edinburgh. Erik, S., & Demirkuş, N. 1986: Contributions to the flora of Turkey. – Doğa Turkish J. Biol. 10(1): 100-105. Zeybek, N. 1988: Taxonomic investigations on Turkish snowdrops. – Turkish J. Bot. 12(1): 89-102. ― & Sauer, E. 1995: Türkiye Kardelenleri (Galanthus L.) I./ Beitrag Zur Türkischen Schneeglöckhen (Galanthus L.) I. – Ege Üniversitesi Basımevi. Address of the author: Sırrı Yüzbaşıoğlu, Istanbul University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, 34134 Süleymaniye- Istanbul, Turkey; e-mail: [email protected] Stampato nel mese di aprile 2012 presso la Tipolitografia Luxograph s.r.l. Piazza Bartolomeo da Messina, 2/e Palermo..